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PREREQUISITES OF IRLS
Prerequisite
Reason
Non punitive
Reporters should be free of fear of retaliation or punishment
from others as a result of reporting
Confidential
The identity of the patient, reporter and institution are never
revealed to a third party
Independent
The program is independent of any authority with power to
punish the reporter or the organization
Expert analysis
Reports are evaluated by experts who understand the clinical
circumstances and are trained to understand underlying
causes